Fregola Sarda by Rustichella d'Abruzzo

Italians know the finest pasta comes from Abruzzo, east of Rome. Durum wheat, which flourishes in the salty Adriatic breezes, and the pure mountain water used is said to work magic. It is here that the Rustichella d'Abruzzo tradition grows, producing all natural, artisinal pastas superior flavor, texture, and yeild.

Peduzzi, an artisan pasta maker whose grandfather founded the company in the early 1900's, makes his pasta from two natural ingredients: stone ground durum flour from hard winter wheat, and pure spring water. When extruded through hand carved bronze dies, some of which date from the 19th-century, the resulting rustic texture holds the sauces beautifully, much better than mass produced pasta. Rustichella d'Abruzzo pasta is air dried for a crucial 56 hours, which creates a dense, flavorful pasta that cooks perfectly al dente. Because of the density of the pasta, many chefs find that the yield per pound is greater than commercially made pasta.

Fregola Sarda is a durum wheat toasted pasta from Sardinia that is similar to couscous and is usually served in a shellfish broth, in soups or as a pasta dish dressed with olive oil and fresh herbs or your favorite sauce.

I had a recipe that called for fregola in addition to manila clams, plum tomatoes, fish stock, hot pepper flakes, white wine, basil, shallots, and onion among other things. Lacking fregola, I used Israeli couscous, which was okay but didn't add any particular flavor or texture. When I made the recipe again using the fregola, a really good dish was elevated to an outstanding and memorable dish. Bravo!

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